Justice League: Gods and Monsters

Dir: Sam Liu

2015

***

I’m a big fan of DC’s Elseworld one shots, there is no way they could ever be adapted into live action films (although I can think of a few that really should be), so animated versions are very welcome. That said, Justice League: Gods and Monsters was an alternative reality one step too far for me. I’m a nerd, a DC nerd at that, but I couldn’t help but think that there are plenty of characters and situations available within the comics, without having to come up with some of the nonsense in this particular episode. There were aspects I loved, for instance, I thought the idea that Zod would mix his ‘seed’ with Lara’s (Superman’s mum) ‘egg’ just before his famous journey to earth was fascinating. In this version of reality Kryptonians don’t seem to conceive the traditional way but through blood and high-tech computers, so Lara isn’t raped as such (Alan Moore didn’t write it) but superman is half Zod and half her, making him something of a superhero with mixed ethics. Batman isn’t Bruce Wayne either, instead he is Dr. Kirk Langstrom (otherwise known as Man-Bat), a scientist who inadvertently transformed himself into a Vampire when trying to cure himself of cancer – he literally eats bad guys for breakfast. Wonder Woman completes the alternative trinity but in this version she is Bekka, a new god and the widow of Darkseed’s son Orion, who was killed, along with his whole family, by Bekka’s side during the wedding reception. The Apokolips family had it coming to be fair, but seeing them all attend a traditional wedding was the sort of thing I love and also hate about DC comics. On earth, the three are sort of anti-heroes, with Lex Luther seemingly the planet’s voice of reason. Luther now lives in space as his legs don’t work and he’s bored of the planet. Many other DC character appear, most are only slightly different than they are usually, while others are pretty much the same. Steve Trevor still has a thing with Wonder Woman but their relationship here is a little more feisty; Mr Freeze, Doctor Light, Atom, Bumblebee, Steel, Cyborg, and Mr Terrific among many, appear but only as their normal selves and not in their ‘super’ personas, while the likes of Amanda Waller and Louis Lane are the same except Waller is president and Lane has no romantic link with Superman. While the new Batman and new Wonder Woman have fairly interesting origin stories, there isn’t much to the new Superman’s, which lets the story down somewhat. The conclusion is ridiculous and for most of the film it’s purely a matter of working out who is who in the alternative reality. The new characters aren’t all that interesting to be honest, their relationship with the people of earth and their position there could have been explored in a much better way and it’s still a mystery as to how they all got together in the first place, although I can’t say I really cared while watching. The best thing about the animated film was the violence. I quite liked the ridiculous conclusion too but it would have been half as rich if it weren’t for the unexpected flashes of brutal violence. This is most certainly not for kids and all the better for it. The animation is pretty simple, DC do rush their animations out fairly quickly and I wish they’d take their time a little more but he voice work is great and the script is okay, apart from a few unfortunate references to modern culture and a few unnecessary rude bits. Far from DCs best animation but an indication that they are finally open to exploring new things, adapting one shots and Elseworlds and making films for the true fans and not just kids who don’t read the comics.